5th Quarter (College)

LetDown Saturday

1. Mizzou vs. Nebraska-All that magic of last weeks win over the Sooners was left in Columbia when the Tigers faced Nebraska. The sad thing is Mizzou actually had a decent chance to beat the Huskers but just allowed too many big plays. Roy Helu Jr rushed for a school record 307 yards as the Huskers dominated the Tigers physically, even without Taylor Martinez. Running the ball like that at Nebraska and setting a record is saying something.For all the balance the Tigers had last week, the depended entirely on Gabbert and the passing game. Gary Pinkel and David Yost, the offensive coordinator, have to find balance to keep teams honest. Just another missed opportunity.

2. Mich St. vs. Iowa-The Spartans never even got off the bus. Iowa is a good team but at least compete in your toughest and biggest game Sparty. Seriously.

3. Oregon vs. USC-Can anyone stop the Ducks? Highly unlikely with the way they are playing right now.

4.Pac-10- Is pretty good besides Oregon. Stanford and Arizona are really good football teams both with one-loss that could compete with anyone in the nation. The knock on the Pac-10 in years past is they never play defense. These two teams actually hang their hats on the defensive end of the field.

5. SEC West-Is probably the most dominant division in all of college football. 4 of the 5 teams in the top 25. Cam Newton didn't run the ball well but he threw it really well and in the long run that will help to keep the Auburn Tigers on top of the west.

6. Baylor-Has always been a joke in football but this year they are bowl eligible and just knocked off Texas for the first time in Austin since 1991. The Bears are now tied for first in the Big 12 south, who would have ever thought that.

The End Zone

1. More devastating loss on Sunday was it the Saints losing to the Browns or the Raiders over the Broncos?

kdc: Raiders over the Broncos. The Saints are still in the hunt, albeit shaky & unfocused. The Broncos are dead. I’d give the Cowboys a better chance of getting into the playoffs than Denver. Look at it this way, they won their first 6 games last year, then totally imploded (despite Kyle Orton’s great efforts). They’ve never really recovered. They have an unproven coach in a football mad town that had realistic playoff hopes this year. Yes, AFC West is so weak, so they still might. Yes, they’ve had key injuries on defense. But still, this has “suicide watch” written all over it.


Momo: Its easily the Saints losing to Cleveland. This year’s version of the Saints are experiencing a serious Super Bowl hangover. They have lost games to two rookie qb’s one drafted in McCoy and another undrafted in Max Hall of the Cardinals. They are without one their key weapons in Reggie Bush and now their offense is desperately looking for any type of a running game. Their division is a lot tougher with the Falcons and Bucs playing extremely well. Just like Pittsburgh last year, it will be hard for the Saints to make the playoffs.

2. Who is more likely to make it back from London, Josh McDaniels or Mike Singletary?

kdc: Mike Singletary. I think ownership & the city aren’t single-handedly blaming Singletary because he started mid-season in a bad situation & righted a sinking ship. Everyone seems to be blaming McDaniels. If the 49ers win, it’s huge. If the Broncos win, they were supposed to.


Momo: Can both stay in London and sight see together, maybe take pictures by Big Ben. McDaniels is the one who shouldn't’t come back. He is 4-13 over his last 17 games after starting 6-0 last year. Getting rid of all the Broncos talent will be the downfall. Maybe that Belichek coaching tree isn’t so great.


3. In the SI poll of most overrated players, did you agree with the top 5 (Terrell Owens / Romo/ Mark Sanchez / Haynesworth/ Eli Manning)?

Yes for:

kdc: TO laid a big goose egg in Buffalo, when he had a chance to hog the limelight in a small market.

Momo: Ok old man, don’t hate on TO because he had one bad year in Buffalo! His entire body of work shows for the majority of the time he produces for his team. I tend to believe he is rated so high because he is always in the news whether for contract or attitude. The only place he didn’t produce was Buffalo and that is because they don’t have a quarterback.


kdc: Romo is captaining the Cowboys to the bottom of the ocean & has never won anything except flashy girlfriends. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

Momo: I would have put Romo first because he is so overrated. Just because you are the Cowboys quarterback it does not make you good.


kdc: Haynesworth made himself the posterboy for greed & out-of-shapeness, then hasn’t played worth $10 (until last week).

Momo: To me not overrated, he’s just with the wrong team. Staying in Tennessee would have suited him better.

No for:

kdc: I don’t like NY teams, but…calling a 2nd year player “overrated” is a bit absurd. I don’t read anywhere that Sanchez is the reason for the Jets success – he’s just Trent Dilfer not losing games (most of the time). How can that be “overrated”?

Momo: Again I think the NY media machine causes people to think he is overrated. Sanchez is solid and still growing.

Hmmm…

kdc: Is Eli overrated because he’s not Peyton? Is he the only reason the Giants have languished in mediocrity since the Super Bowl win? Hmmm. I don’t think he’s been amazing, but I’m not sure he’s seen as so important (as his brother is in Indianapolis) that the team can’t win without him.

Momo: Eli is not overrated. I believe he is a top ten qb. He isn’t a world beater all the time but he does get the ball to his receivers and manages the game very well. The majority of the teams in the NFL would love to have in as a starter for their squad.

Some Sports Analogies Should Not Be Made

It's been a tough year for Tennessee football this season. First their coach bolts on them at the last minute. After searching and searching the university had to hire a coach way down on their list because no one wanted to coach a program in shambles. Their top running back left school without telling anyone then wanted his unconditional release. Derek Dooley took on all these challenges and his team has played hard for him in the first half of all their games. Its been in the second half where the wheels have fallen off for the Vols. But after the Alabama game Dooley used an analogy comparing his team to the Germans in World War II. That is a no, no. I know Dooley doesn't side with the Nazis at all but using it in reference to sports its not good. For the most part people can accept you calling them "soldiers" and saying things like it was a "war out there" but when you say your team is like the Nazis, that's not a good comparison. I understand the context he used it in but it just kind of makes you squirm. You can judge for yourself.

5th Quarter Part 2

Two Types Of Tigers Make A Statement


1.Mizzou Dominates-For years the Missouri Tigers were a mediocre to good team. This program has been apart of some infamous moments from the 5th down Colorado game to the kick by the Nebraska Huskers. In the biggest games, the Tigers and their fans always had a what might had been moment. Especially when it came to Oklahoma, the Sooners have shelled the Tigers in the past 11 games. But on Saturday night that was a different Tiger team and a different outcome. Mizzou physically dominated the Sooners on both sides of the ball to take down the number 1 ranked team in the BCS. The Tigers controlled both lines of scrimmage and that shocked the fans as well as OU. The Tigers used balanced on their offense for the first time this year and that balance kept the Sooners honest on the defensive side. But this win is more about a program that had been the little brother to Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Since the inception of the Big 12, Gary Pinkel and the Tigers were 0-11 against Texas and Oklahoma. Winless, not quite good enough to be taken seriously. Last night the Tigers came out and proved that they belonged with the upper echelon of teams in the Big 12. Of course, they have one more big showdown on the road against Nebraska on Saturday that could potentially give this team a legit shot at a championship. But not to get ahead of myself, the Show Me State showed the nation how football is played in Columbia. No longer A Sports Verb, Oklahoma Mizzoued themselves.

2. The New Tebow-Tim Tebow received all the hype and accolades any college football player has in years. Florida is searching for his replacement but they had him and let him go. Cam Newton is now the answer to the next Tim Tebow. Newton, 6'5 250 lbs, is leading Auburn to unprecedented heights. These Tigers beat LSU 24-17 in what was a slugfest. The thing about Newton is he was a Gator and got into some trouble but was overlooked by the program for John Brantley. Newton is suited to run a zone read running offense because of his size and the long strides he takes. Trying to tackle him on the move is like trying to tackle a moving refrigerator with speed. The strength of Auburn was and is their running game, and LSU had no answer for them or Cam Newton. People in Auburn are saying Cam is the greatest Auburn Tiger ever, greater than Bo Jackson. To me that is absurd because Bo Jackson was a rare talent of size and speed. However, Cam is a different version of Tebow and he just might lead the Tigers to the same place Tebow led the Gators. To a national title.

5th Quarter Part 1

Some Keys To Today's Big Games

1. OU vs. Mizzou-There are some games that can define a program and this is one of them for the Tigers. Win this game at home and you solidify your program as a true national player. For the Tigers to win they need to run the ball effectively or this could get out of hand quickly. Mizzou has said they are tired of getting beat by the likes of Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Win this game and they will control their own destiny for a national title, while also telling the rest of the conference that the Tigers will not be trampled over anymore.

2. AFvs.TCU-This will be tougher for TCU than people think. Air Force runs the triple option to perfection and that ball control can keep the explosive Horned Frogs offense off the field. TCU should win but it will not be a cake walk.

3. LSUvs.Auburn-The winner of this in my opinion will win the SEC West. Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers have ran the ball down people's throat all year. Now they go against the best defense in the SEC against the run. Special teams will play an enormous role in this one. We will see if Auburn will kick to Peterson or Sheppard today, if they do that will make the huge difference in this game. Hopefully, Les Miles does not have any clock management issues again.

4. MSU vs. Northwestern-This has trap game written all over it for Michigan St. Northwestern only has one loss, its homecoming in Evanston and they had an extra week to prepare for the Spartans. Michigan St. could be looking forward to their showdown next Saturday with Iowa. If the Wildcats score first, watch out for the upset.

5. Wisconsin vs. Iowa-After a huge win over Ohio St., the Badgers go to Iowa and take on the once beaten Hawkeyes. Both of these teams are still in the hunt for the Big Ten title. Should be a good one.

6. Nebraska vs. Ok. St.-The Huskers will be angry after getting dominated by Texas but the Cowboys can score. I think Nebraska loses back to back games.

More later....

The End Zone

Another battle in The End Zone!! Let us know who you side with!

1. Who would you start Kevin Kolb or Michael Vick?

kdc: If we're assuming Vick is healthy (& he may not be 100%) then I think I'd still go w/Kolb. He's got the hot hand now. That said, I'd certainly put Vick in for multiple series to scare the defense. Could Philly make it w/a 2 headed QB? I have no idea, but it's certainly an interesting conundrum for coach Andy Reid to noodle over!



Momo: Vick should be the starter and the reason being is the Eagles offensive line is not good. Vick is more mobile than Kolb and now Mike is becoming a very dangerous passer. Teams are starting to respect him as a qb first and a runner second. It’s amazing how studying makes you a better player.


2. Are you buying the new/old LaDanian Tomlinson?

kdc: I'm buying it for now. LT has always been a class guy, so I'm rooting for him. True, he now plays for a team in NY, so that means anything positive is overhyped, but sometimes great players comeback & surprise us all. I'm hoping LT remains that story. If the Jets don't give him too many carries each game, then it looks like he's got a good chance to stay productive. He's certainly young enough.

Momo: I’m cautiously buying for this reason, the Jets o-line is built for a running game. What happen with the Chargers is they went to a pass game first and running the ball was not a priority, plus LT was injured. He looks healthy but if I’m the Jets I would probably watch his workload. This situation is perfect for LT because he has some big bulldozers in front making huge holes for him, I just worry about his body breaking down.

3. The viscious hits on Sunday, think the league acted with a knee jerk response with the fines?

kdc: No, I think they should've suspended all 3 of those guys, apologies or no. Helmet to helmet have been verboten for several years now. I think they've been too weak about it & now have to catch up. It kind of reminds me of the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction." If the NFL hadn't allowed the halftime show to celebrate smut to begin with (Nelly was slithering around singing "it's hot in here" earlier in that sequence), then there never would've been the

Momo: I disagree with you on this. Merriweather should have been the only one suspended because he hit a defense receiver like a missile and launched himself into Heap. The NFL is completely overreacting to the other hits. I think what everyone is missing is what Steve Young said about quarterbacks and defense’s today. The league has a lot of young quarterbacks who put their receivers in harm’s way and the exotic defense schemes make it tough for the quarterbacks to know what is going on. Then the qb throws the ball up for grabs instead of throwing it away and their receivers get punished. When did it become uncool to throw the ball away and fight another down.

4. The AFC South is a surprise division where everyone is within a game of each other. The winner of the AFC South is….

Momo: The Tennessee Titans. With the Colts facing injuries at key spots, I like the continuity that the Titans have. Vince Young is making plays with his feet and arms. Chris Johnson is a home run waiting to happen on any play. The Titans defense is a bunch of nobody’s that play sound tough football, which is just the way Jeff Fisher likes it. They keep games close and find different ways to beat you.

kdc: What kind of question is this? There are only 2 possible choices, as Jacksonville is already out of it & Houston is woefully inconsistent. But you can't choose against the Colts until the Colts tank (which may not be too many years away, but not 2010). Yes, the injuries are many, but just a couple years ago Peyton Manning literally willed his entire team into the playoffs. They promptly lost, but they weren't supposed to be there. Maybe they shouldn't be there again this year, but they will - & it'll be as division leader, not wild card.

Can Former Players Coach?

If you are a Hall of Fame player, most people believe those qualities that you have that made you great as a player would be the same qualities that would make you a great coach. History has shown this is not the case, it is harder for these guys to coach because they paid attention to such detail and have demanded so much from themselves and their teammates that it is difficult for them to translate it to their players and get them to play the game at a high level. This is especially true in football, where playing the game at a high level and coaching it normally don't go hand in hand. I found this article interesting from Sports Illustrated where they ranked the coaches in the league who played the game. As you will see most of the guys on the list where average to below average players but they see the game differently than others, a more cerebral feel to football. Tell us what you think.

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/10/16/top-32-nfl-coaches-as-players/?eref=sihp

Amazing Plays, Incredible Announcers

Sports Illustrated ranked the 32 Greatest Calls made during sporting events. Considering they're all at the most dramatic points of each competition, it makes for some heart-pounding moments.

Best of all, every sport is represented - football, baseball, soccer, hockey, and even swimming - so you can enjoy many years of excellence. That said, this is by far my favorite as the passion South American announcers feel toward soccer/futball eludes me:

5th Quarter (College)

Conference Play Separates Contenders From Pretenders

1. Ohio St-Buckeyes fans knew this day was coming. The day when they were ranked number #1 and would lose on the road because of their conservative play calling coach. Tressel philosophy puts his team in a bad spot when they get down big, and Saturday night was no surprise when Wisconsin knocked them from the ranks of the unbeaten. In the end you knew OSU would find a way to disappoint. Now there is a new leader in the driver seat in the Big Ten...

2. Sparty-Beat a rival out of state? Check! Beat big brother rival in the state? Check! Michigan St. has an opportunity to run the table because their toughest game left is at Iowa. The Spartans in the past have always found a way to lose a game they have should win, but this season seems different. There is a new found confidence brewing in East Lansing, and this state needs some good news.

3. Mizzou Played Big Boy Football-Today the Missouri Tigers went down to College Station and smacked around Texas A &M. The Aggies aren't the best team in the Big 12 but the Tigers have routinely struggled when they have gone south. One of the biggest areas of improvement of the Tigers has been their defense. They took it to the Aggies and made a statement to the rest of the conference. What to strap on your helmets and knock around a Texas school!

4.Speaking of Texas-Nebraska spent much of the offseason stewing about last years Big 12 Championship game. One of the reasons why they are leaving the conference is because they felt that Texas got all the calls and the conference catered to them. Nebraska got physically dominated and exposed. It was obvious that the Huskers could run the ball but Taylor Martinez is not a passer and Texas made them one-dimensional. Once Texas pinned their ears back, they dominated the Huskers O-line. That was the rudest going away present that Texas gave them today.

5. SEC-Auburn won in a shootout out and Cam Newton is now the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy. I said last week that no one is talking about Auburn and the reason why is their defense. You can't give up 48 points to a team with their backup quarterback. The battle for SEC supremacy will be Saturday when LSU comes to town. Who knew this would be such a huge game a month ago. By the way, LSU fans the only way you get rid of Les Miles is for someone to find 15 million dollars to pay him out. That was an awful contract that the AD signed him to.

Quick hit-Boise St. schedule in the end will cost them if they go undefeated. Their schedule just took a hit when Nevada who was ranked lost to Hawaii. The Broncos could not afford that one.

The End Zone

Your humble blogger and another contributor (kdc) will discuss topics about the NFL weekly:

1. Bigger game for the Cowboys or Vikings with both being at 1-3?

kdc: Definitely the Cowboys. Not only because they ended strong last year, but because they made such a stink about being the first team to host a Super Bowl & play in it, because they believed their own hype, because they still think they’re “America’s Team.” Gentlemen, Wade Phillips is not going to take you anywhere.

Momo: Definitely the Vikings. The Vikings went all in this year because of the way last year ended. They sent the "Three Wise Men" down to get Favre because they felt they couldn't win
without him. They also made a big move to acquire Randy Moss to give some energy to a team that is flat. The Vikings

2. More likely to make the playoffs Cowboys or Vikings?

kdc: Vikings only because their divisional opponents are so weak – the Lions are the Lions, my Packers are injury-ridden & strapped with a GM who doesn’t understand how a mid-season trade can fill gaps, & the inconsistent Bears.

Momo: As crazy as it might sound its probably the Cowboys. The NFC west is so bad that only one winner will come out and the same could be said for the South. Three teams can possibly come out of the East, with the Cowboys squeaking in at 9-7.

3. Of the surprise teams, who has the staying power, Chiefs, Bucs or Texans?

kdc: Definitely the Bucs. They’ve got a determined group of youngsters who have nothing to lose & believe in themselves. Plus this is the type of team that gets extra-focused against big opponents - & then beating them. I see them winning 3-5 more (which is about 5-7 more than most people picked for them). Usually these types of teams fade down the stretch (lack of experience, unsure leadership, etc), but that doesn’t mean they won’t still make Tampa Bay proud.

Momo: As much as I have blasted KC and Matt Cassel, its the Chiefs and here's why. The Chargers are collapsing and the AFC West is very winnable. Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis are not head coaches, but can you name to coordinators who are excellent on game day. Weis actually uses the running backs to hide the lack of explosiveness that they have at the quarterback position. Their offensive plays keep away and shortens the opposing teams offensive possessions. Crennel is coaching up a young defense that is flying around and making plays. Kansas City, welcome back to the league.

5th Quarter (Pro)

1. Mike Singletary-Will lose his job because of the play of Alex Smith. The Niners franchise is being held hostage by this guy and its really sad to see. He is not a good quarterback and Singletary's loyalty to him will cost him in the end. The Niners could have Vick as a quarterback or even the recently released Trent Edwards, who was a star at Stanford. But the Niners forge forward with all the talent on offense and defense but at the most critical position they lack a game manager. If he managed the game instead of costing them the game it would be differently. With the amount of good starters out there, the Niners have choose not to ct their losses but spend money on the one of the worse quarterbacks in the league.

2. Speaking of Bad Quarterbacks-Is Matt Cassel the worst qb in the league? He's completing just under 55% of his passes and has thrown 4 touchdowns in 4 games. Cassel looks like a quarterback who hasn't played since high school. Why the Chiefs think this guy will take them to the promise land is beyond me. Its amazing how the Patriots line can earn guys millions, just ask Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady. The thing is those guys at least started on the college teams and led teams to winning seasons unlike Cassel, who fell into his one winning season when Brady got hurt.

3. Don't Call Reggie Bush A Bust-The Saints are struggling without Reggie in the lineup. Their point per game drops 12 points without him. What you notice is how teams actually game plan for Reggie and how he helps the passing game and field position for the Saints. Although Bush is not a punishing runner, lining him up all over the field helps Drew Brees find other people. So far without Reggie, Drew looks average. Reggie may not do all the flashy runs that he did at USC, but he is very important to what the Saints do. People undervalue him because he doesn't put up pro-bowl numbers, but I still see him as a game changer.

4. Dallas and San Diego, Not A Super Bowl Matchup-Jerry Jones you can rent out your box for the Super Bowl because your team will not be there. Dallas is bad, real bad. I just don't see a team leader with them and that has been missing for a while. The Chargers are in the same position as the Cowboys except they have a leader but the coaching and GM harpoon this team. The Chargers start slow and now have lost three games to lesser opponents, and that shows lack of focus, which is the coach.

5. Baltimore-Is the best team in the league right now and Pittsburgh is a close second. The scary thing is the Ravens will get better with the addition of Ed Reed. These two teams matching up in the AFC championship game would be a treat.

5th Quarter (College)

Big Shake-Ups

1. Bama Loses-It was no way that Bama was going to go undefeated, the SEC is way too tough. What was shocking was how the Gamecocks dominated them on both sides of the ball. I said it last year,stop the run and make McElroy beat. It's no disrespect to him but if you make a team one-dimensional it makes the game easier. Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson were invisible. Spurrier outsmarted the Bama defense and got his playmakers the ball. Lattimore and Alshon Jefferson and Stephen Garcia have now made South Carolina a national player and no longer the step-child of the SEC.

2. LSU Does It Again-Les Miles may not want to talk about his clock management skills last week but you can tell what was practiced this week. How to run your offense with your passing qb with the clock running down. He even called a fake field goal on 4th and 1 and with the kicker catching the flip on the bounce he got the yardage and LSU survived. Tiger fans may not like him personally for his hat or how he routinely screws things up but one thing Miles does do is win. As for Urban Meyer, rebuilding is tough, especially in the SEC.



3. Zona How Could You-Bragging about teams and they let you down. In actually a well played game Arizona got upset by Oregon St. Oregon St. has played a tough schedule and is pretty battled tested going into this game. Missed opportunity by the Wildcats.



4.Does Anyone Even Notice Auburn Is Unbeaten?-Nope



5. Does Mizzou Have Any Running Plays In Their Playbook?-Ask Mack Brown how well the spread works without a running game. Not good at all, but the Tigers are undefeated without even a threat of the run. Their top back was suspended before the season but the Tigers have but the entire offense of Blaine Gabbert and the receivers. Until the Tigers learn how to balance the run and the pass they will NEVER compete with the major schools.

I know it not basketball season but this video is hilarious. As if Cleveland needs more anguish...
Old school wrestling fans remember this moment.

Overvalued/Undervalued

Overvalued

1. Randy Moss to the Patriots-He was the Pats deep threat and Tom Brady went to bat for him a lot. If you go back over the Pats history they have won with lesser-known receivers. Brady likes to spread the ball around and use the short pass game as a running game. The difference Moss mad was a deep threat for the Patriots. Even though the video tape opponents and other things that are viewed as illegal, the one thing the Pats know how to tell vets goodbye.


2.Revis and The Jets Mouth-Just stop talking about other people and concentrate on your team. Revis talking about Randy Moss that he shut him down and Moss doesn't give a 100% on every play. Guess what Revis, we already knew that. I guess Darrelle forgot the highlight reel one-handed touchdown catch that Moss had in the first half against him, which caused him to go out with a hamstring injury. What makes the New York Jets fun is when they brag on themselves, but when you start talking about other people its dumb. Show some sportsmanship for a change.

3. The ACC-This conference had its preseason hype with Virginia Tech, Miami and Florida St. Va Tech lost to James Madison, Miami got shelled by Ohio St. and the Noles didn't even show up against the Sooners. This conference is hurting and none of the top teams are stepping up to take control of it. Is this conference deserving of a BCS bid?



4.The Big East-Do they really get a BCS bowl bid? How many people are lining up to see UConn or Pitt in the Orange or Fiesta Bowl? No one and this is a problem with the BCS. It rewards mediocrity in a sense because of conference affiliation gets you a major bowl. There is no opt clause if a conference is bad. Big East football is really bad.



Undervalued

1.Arizona-The Pac-10 is making a lot of noise this year and Zona is leading the way. This is the highest ranked Wildcat team since they were ranked 4th in 1999. Mark Stoops has his team playing at an extremely high level especially his defense. They are third in college football in scoring giving up just 11 points per game. All year they have given up just three td's, all to Iowa. Wildcat football is back.



2. Utah-No one is talking about them because of course they are in the Mountain West, but the Utes are ranked 10th in the nation and have a shot at a BCS game. After escaping against Pitt, their schedule has not been as tough. One Saturday they get a chance to improve their BCS standing by taking on Iowa State. No Iowa State isn't that good but it is a BCS conference which will help their computer rankings. The Utes are in top ten in the nation in scoring offense and defense.



3.South Carolina-Spurrier needs this win. Winning this would solidify the Gamecocks as a legit SEC program. South Carolina runs the ball effectively and has the big play quarterback and receivers to make a game of it, plus the game is at home. If Spurrier doesn't do it now, he never will.



More next week..

5th Quarter (College)

This was Showdown Saturday



1. Tenn-LSU. What happened at the end of this game? Les Miles what are you thinking bringing in a quarterback who was 3-10 in passing to run the option with less than 40 seconds less to play? Everyone knew the option was coming on the short side of the field. Jordan Jefferson, why are you laying on the ground as precious seconds tick off the clock? This is the kind of game that signifies Miles and Crowton tenure at LSU. Chaotic on offense. They needed to recruit a quarterback and didn't. Miles has had trouble at the end of the game with clock management. If he lost this game it was possible he could have been relieved of his duties before next week. Of course, he won so he still survives, but I for see a lot of offseason changes with the Tigers. This is the worse offensive team in college football. No way this is a top ten team.



You have to feel bad for Derek Dooley and the Vols but there is no excuse to have 13 to 14 guys on the field at the end of the game. Dooley is a likable guy with a team that plays hard for him. Volunteer nation should be proud of, but as stated before, the cupboard is bare and its going to be hard for them to rebound and compete in the SEC. A loss likes this sometimes makes the rest of the season meaningless. Its going to be a long, long season for the Vols.

2. If I see Another Jump Pass... Urban Meyer better tear that play out of his playbook. Burton is not Tebow, there will never be another Tebow so live with it. I hated the pass when Tebow did it because it was a fluke. Coaches can defense that dumb play. Its no way you run that against Alabama in the first quarter only down by three. Meyer looks panicked and uneasy when coaching against Saban. Its almost as if he is intimidated by Slick Nick.

3. The Ducks Are Scary. I know they gave up 31 points in the first half. Their defense though shuts people out in the second half of games. The Oregon Ducks have only allowed 7 points in all their games combined in the second half of games. They make adjustments defensively and pound you to death with speed all over the place offensively. A special season is shaping up in Eugene. Their mascot is going to be ripped after having to push ups for the amount of touchdown this team scores.

4. I think I finally Understand Tressell Football. Normally I call out "Sweater Vest" and disagree with his philosophy, but I understand it now. Tressell wants to wear teams down with the running game until they wear the other team down and you still run it some more. The problem with it though is teams like Illinois on Saturday can hang around, and around and this is where OSU gets into trouble. You do that to the really good teams and they will stop the run and force you into something that you aren't comfortable doing. That is another reason Terelle Pryor will not win the Heisman. The stats won't be there.

Thanks for reading...

5 games to Watch on Saturday

5 Games To Watch Saturday ( Mostly At Night)


1. Florida-Alabama. Urban Meyer takes his young Gator team to Alabama to face off with the Tide. Brantley will have to play out of his mind in order the Gators to pull of the upset. Alabama's front seven will take advantage of the young Gators inexperience. This game will be close for a half but in the end The Tide will roll with a pivotal showdown next Saturday.


2. Stanford-Oregon. This has all the makings of a great shootout. The number 1 and 4 ranked offense in the country. Stanford has a chance to make some real noise with an upset in Eugene.. Their schedule shapes up nicely after this with all their tougher game at home. Harbaugh knows how to coach guys up and slow the game down. The only thing is strange things happen in Eugene Oregon, especially at night. If the Ducks get ahead early, Stanford will find themselves out of the national championship picture real quick.

3. Wisconsin-Mich St. Think of Wisconsin as the pretty girl in school that flirts with everyone but just won't commit. They always break your heart, especially when think she is the only one flirting with you. I'm just not sold on the Badgers because they always flirt like they are good but in the end they are going to cause you heartbreak. They will probably win this game and lose to Iowa but the with the Spartans getting their coach back after a heart attack, maybe they will play early spoiler.

4. Penn St.-Iowa. These two always play a tight game whenever they play, and I don't expect anything different. Iowa's thin hope for a BCS game hinges on this one.

5. Michigan-Indiana. No I am not crazy, this game will be better than you expect. It's IU's home opener and don't be surprised to see the Hoosier's upset the Wolverines. Also, the score operator will be really busy because these teams can score. This will be Michigan's toughest test this season.